Chapter 1
When I regained consciousness in the mountains, I tried to look around. Trees towered over me, their crowns almost completely obscuring the sky. Somewhere below, beyond the dense undergrowth, I could make out a steep slope I would have to descend.
I tried to get up, but pain immediately shot through my back. It felt as though my bones were being twisted from the inside, and my muscles refused to obey. Pressing my palm against the cold ground, I struggled to prop myself up on my elbows.
What happened?
My memories were a tangled mess. I tried to summon my power, but felt nothing. It was as though a hollow space had opened up inside me. My vision darkened, and I nearly collapsed again.
I need to find someone. Anyone.
Otherwise, I'll never get out of here.
I woke to the unpleasant sensation of a stiff back. The room was shrouded in semi-darkness. The thick blackout curtains kept the sunlight out, and only a thin strip of light along the windowsill reminded me that morning had long since arrived.
Stretching, I raised my arms above my head. My spine responded with a loud crack.
"Wonderful start to the day," I muttered, climbing out of bed.
The clothes I'd been too lazy to put away yesterday were scattered near the wardrobe. Picking up a T-shirt and a pair of trousers from the floor, I headed for the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, fully awake and having made myself presentable, I went downstairs.
The kitchen clock read seven in the morning.
The house greeted me with its usual silence. I took out some bread, slipped a few slices into the toaster, and waited until they were golden brown before generously spreading them with jam. Settling at the table, I switched on the television.
Some morning show was playing on one of the channels. After flicking through a few more, I finally found the news.
"Earlier today, rescue workers discovered two more bodies in a mountainous area," the news anchor reported. "The remains have been sent for forensic examination. Although the final results are still pending, experts believe the cause of death may have been an attack by a wild animal, most likely a mountain lion."
I stopped chewing.
"Here we go again."
Footage of the forest appeared on the screen, followed by police vehicles and crime scene tape stretched between the trees. The camera lingered on several uniformed officers for a few seconds before cutting back to the anchor.
"Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourselves that," I scoffed, popping the last piece of toast into my mouth.
A mountain lion.
Of course.
Over the past few years, people had come up with increasingly creative explanations for things happening right under their noses. Wild animals, accidents, attacks by unidentified criminals. Anything to avoid acknowledging the obvious.
I switched off the television, cleared my plate, and got up from the table.
I had to visit the crime scene today, but there was something else I needed to take care of first.
Grabbing my bag, I checked the pockets of my jacket and left the house.
The morning air was cool. I climbed behind the wheel, started the engine, and turned on the radio. Some familiar song began playing through the speakers, though for the life of me, I couldn't remember its name.
Tapping my fingers against the steering wheel in time with the music, I tried to recall the lyrics.
Damn it.
Maybe going to Sophie's this early isn't such a good idea.
Lately, she hadn't exactly been eager to see me. Our meetings had grown shorter, our conversations more strained, and her constant "I'm busy" had gradually become a familiar excuse.
I'd noticed.
Of course I'd noticed.
I just hadn't wanted to make anything of it.
Stopping at a red light, I absentmindedly touched the pocket containing a small box.
Maybe everything will change after today.
The thought made me smile.
I reached Sophie's house fairly quickly. She lived in what was considered a respectable neighbourhood: neatly maintained lawns, spacious properties, and expensive cars parked outside garages. Even so, I wasn't particularly fond of leaving my car unattended.
After parking, I got out and walked towards the porch.
I rang the doorbell.
Silence.
I waited a little, then rang again. A minute later, footsteps sounded behind the door, followed by the click of a lock.
Sophie appeared in the doorway.
Judging by her dishevelled hair and sleepy expression, I'd woken her up. She was wearing a dressing gown, which she hurriedly pulled closed when she saw me.
"Morning. Is something wrong?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Morning. No, everything's fine. I just wanted to give you something before I head off for work."
I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.
Sophie looked at me, puzzled.
Feeling for the box in my pocket, I took it out and placed it in her palm.
"This is for you."
Her gaze dropped to the gift.
"Ian..."
"What?"
"Please don't joke about something like this."
Sophie was already about to open the box when I gently covered her hand with mine.
"Oh, no. Wait. Open it when I get back from work."
"Why?"
"Because I want you to," I said with a smile.
She gave me a strange look. For a moment, I thought she was about to say something, but Sophie merely lowered her eyes to the box.
"I hope everything will be all right," she said quietly.
"Of course it will."
I smiled at her once more and headed back to my car.
The door closed behind me.
I couldn't stop smiling the entire drive.
My father had been a hunter.
He'd taught me everything he could: how to handle weapons, distinguish tracks, and notice things an ordinary person would rather ignore. Ever since I was a child, I'd known that one day I would carry on his work.
The truth was, after his death, everything had turned out to be far more complicated than I'd imagined.
Dad always said a hunter had to keep a cool head. Never let fear or anger take control.
Easy for him to say.
Especially when you have something worth living for.
By the time I reached the forest, I parked my car not far from the police cordon. The crime scene was still crawling with people. Officers were talking among themselves, forensic investigators were collecting evidence, and several rescue workers stood beside an emergency vehicle.
I didn't approach them.
The bodies weren't what interested me.
If a demon really was responsible for those deaths, it was far more important to figure out where it had come from and where it had gone after the attack.
Skirting the cordon, I ventured deeper into the forest along a narrow, winding trail.
For the first few minutes, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Dry twigs cracked beneath my feet, sunlight filtered through the trees, and the cool air smelled of damp earth and pine bark.
But before long, I stopped.
Too quiet.
I listened.
Not a single bird.
Not even the chirping of insects.
There was no movement around a fallen tree, either, where entire colonies of ants could usually be found.
I crouched down, ran my palm over the ground, and frowned.
Now this was getting interesting.
"So it really is a demon."
There was hardly any doubt left.
I spent a little longer examining the surroundings, trying to find tracks, but discovered nothing useful. If the creature was still nearby, it knew how to hide.
Back at the car, I pulled out my phone.
One missed call from Sophie lit up the screen.
Shit. She's probably opened the ring box already.
I considered calling her back, but changed my mind.
Later.
Opening my contacts, I selected a number I'd dialled more often than almost any other over the past few years.
After the second ring, a familiar, gravelly voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello. I'm already at the scene. And yes, it's a demon. One hundred percent."
"So what are you planning to do?"
"What do you think? Come back tonight."
A brief silence settled over the other end of the line.
"Come by my place. There's something we need to discuss."
"All right. I'll pick up a couple more arrowheads while I'm there."
"I have a feeling I'm going to have to give you our supplier's number sooner or later."
I chuckled.
"Wouldn't be a bad idea."
"See you soon, kid."
The call ended.
I put my phone away and started the engine.
David was standing on the porch when I pulled up outside his house.
He was wearing an old coat I remembered from when I was seven years old. It had barely changed in all that time, except that the fabric around the elbows had become noticeably worn.
He held a cigarette in one hand and leaned against the railing with the other. His gaze was fixed somewhere in the distance, lost in thought.
When he noticed me, he lifted his head slightly.
"Hello."
I approached and held out my hand.
"Hey, kid."
He shook my hand firmly.
For a few seconds, David studied me in silence before giving a faint chuckle.
"You know, watching you get out of that car, I could almost swear it was Alan pulling up."
I looked away.
"Are we doing this again?"
"God, I miss him, kid."
He took one final drag and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.
I stood beside him, leaning against the railing.
"Everyone keeps telling me I look like him. But I don't see a single resemblance."
"You're too young to understand that yet."
"Understand what, exactly?"
"That resemblance isn't always about appearance. Sometimes you look at someone and notice that he even turns his head exactly the way his father did. Or says the same things. Or makes the same mistakes."
I didn't like that last part.
"You said you wanted to talk about something?"
David slowly exhaled.
"Yeah. I know why you keep doing this. And I know you're not going to like what I'm about to say."
I already had a pretty good idea where this was going.
"Then maybe you shouldn't say it."
"I should," he said firmly. "Stop hunting, Ian. Go live your best life."
I turned towards him.
"You know I'm not going to agree to that."
"I know."
"Then why keep bringing it up?"
"Because I remember your father. And I don't want to end up standing over your grave one day."
I clenched my jaw.
David watched me for a moment, then shook his head.
"Just as stubborn as Alan."
He reached over and ruffled my hair.
"Hey!"
"What?"
"I'm not a little kid anymore."
"You'll always be a kid to me."
I couldn't help but grin.
"That's just how it is."
David's smile gradually faded.
"Listen. If you ever find the demon that did that to your father, I'm begging you, let it end there. Don't turn your entire life into one endless hunt."
I remained silent for a while.
"I hear you, David."
He nodded, though the look on his face made it clear my answer hadn't satisfied him.
Wanting to change the subject, I asked, "How's Luca doing?"
David rolled his eyes.
"Oh, that insufferable child! I swear, I don't know what to do with him anymore."
"What did he do this time?"
"Stole my crossbow yesterday. Can you imagine? The boy can barely shoot straight, and he nicked it so he could take shots at sparrows!"
I burst out laughing.
"Well, what do you expect? Teenage spirit taking over."
"Teenage spirit! I'm trying to teach him something useful, and everything I say goes in one ear and straight out the other."
"Maybe you just need a little patience?"
"Don't you start lecturing me about patience."
We both laughed.
For a while, the conversation grew lighter. David told me about Luca's latest antics, I shared some news of my own, and eventually we discussed the upcoming hunt.
But even when he was joking, I noticed how his expression occasionally turned thoughtful.
The words about my father still hung between us.
After leaving David's house, I intended to head back to the forest, but somewhere along the way, I unexpectedly changed my mind.
Sophie.
I still hadn't spoken to her.
I couldn't just leave a little box behind and disappear until evening. Whatever had been happening between us lately, I wanted to do things properly.
So I headed back to her house.
This time, the door opened almost immediately.
And the moment I saw Sophie's face, I knew something was wrong.
"What the hell, Ian?"
I stopped in the doorway, confused.
"What?"
"Are you serious?"
She stood before me, clutching the familiar box in her hand.
I tried to smile.
"I thought you'd like it."
"It's beautiful, but..."
Sophie opened the box and took out the ring.
For several seconds, she examined it, turning it between her fingers. Then she held it out to me.
"I'm sorry."
I looked at her hand.
"So you're not going to accept it?"
She slowly shook her head.
"Ian, I don't think there's a future for us anymore."
Something tightened painfully in my chest.
"And what's the problem?"
I frowned, feeling my hands curl into fists.
Sophie let out a heavy sigh.
"The problem is that you're too obsessed with the past."
I said nothing.
"You're constantly thinking about your father, about hunting, about that demon. Every time we see each other, I don't know if I'll ever see you again. You can disappear for an entire night, then come back and act as though nothing happened."
"You knew what I did."
"I did, Ian. But I hoped that one day something would change."
I gave a bitter laugh.
"So you were hoping I'd just stop being who I am?"
"That's not what I said."
"Then what did you mean?"
She lowered her eyes.
For several seconds, we stood facing each other, and suddenly it became painfully clear that this conversation had begun long before this morning.
Neither of us had simply dared to say it out loud.
"Deal with your past first," Sophie said quietly. "Then come back to me. All right?"
She tried to smile and reached towards my face, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
There had been a time when I loved it when she did that.
Now, for some reason, all I wanted was to pull away.
"If you can't accept me the way I am, you'll never accept me any other way."
I took the ring back.
Sophie said nothing.
I turned and walked out of the house without looking back.
Once I was sitting in the car, I stared at the little box in my palm for a while.
Only this morning, I'd thought this day would change my life.
Well.
In a way, it had.
I put the ring in the glove compartment and started the engine.
My first instinct was to get drunk. Find some bar, order something strong, and stop thinking for at least a few hours.
But instead, I simply drove, with no particular destination in mind.
The hunt could wait.
Today, I just wanted to be alone.
